Best cure for a tight pot

[quiksilver]

Hi y'all. I've got a volume pot on my Jem that is difficult to turn (compared to my Jacksons), and I want to make it easy to turn.

Assuming I should spray some kind of lubricant into the pot, how should I best access the pot, and what should I spray into it? THANKS!

[Ace]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

First of all make sure that the knob isn't so low on the shaft that it's creating friction with the body. If that's NOT the case, just work the pot back and forth for a soild minute or two to break up whatever in there might be corroded/dirty/caked with honey. If that STILL doesn't do it, open the guitar up from the back and remove the pot from the body(you don't have to desolder it, just get it floating. Then place paper towels around the pot so that you can spray it without hitting the rest of the guitar at all. Spray contact cleaner in there, work the pot on/off a bit more, then wipe up the excess cleaner with the paper towels. Replace the pot and go back to shredding. If that STILL doesn't work, take the dive and spend $5 on a new pot.

[Emthrax]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

[ QUOTE ]
First of all make sure that the knob isn't so low on the shaft that it's creating friction with the body.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Sorry... I just couldn't resist.

[V]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

Surely working your knob back and forth for a solid minute or two doesn't loosen things up at all.

[guitarsjb]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

Yep, hit it with tuner spray (from Radio Shack or somewhere)..should make it right

[Carbuff]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

Right, I do that all the time with that spray. On the back of most pots there is a notch in the round part. Just stick the thin tube in there and give it a quick burst. Be careful as it may spray back in your face. If youve done it right it will sorta ooz out all over where the metal can meets the top plate. Then just work it and it will be all good. This works for scratchy pots too. Makes them like new in most cases. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[quiksilver]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

Thanks, everyone!! I'll get some of that spray tomorrow!

[model1]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

best cure for a tight pot is SWAP [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Deneb]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

I don't know how you guys feel about this, but make sure the tuner cleaner has some sort of lubricant in it. If it doesn't, I've seen it cause problems down the line.

Example, if you're using non lubed cleaner, you wouldn't even have to take the pot out because everything evaporates BUT the pots become scratchy later. You use cleaner with lubricant, you have to, because it gets everywhere (doesn't hurt anything though).

Not just a tight pot, but any potentiometer problem, even needind clean is a pretty common repair. I usually charge 15$ for pretty much the process Ace displayed.

[jgcable]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

Don't use tuner cleaner because it will dissolve the lubricant in the pot. I suggest replacing the pot. The internal wiper assembly is most likely giving you the added friction which is not a sign of a problem unless you don't like the way it feels.

[Deneb]

Re: Best cure for a tight pot

It won't disolve the lub, if you use cleaner WITH lubricant :P I should have detailed the process a bit more, than just saying without lub causes, with lube doesn't, so here's the readers digest Potentiometer cleaning session.

Tools needed
Paper towels
Potentiometer in question
tuner cleaner WITH LUBRICANT

Spray cleaner with lub into pot, operate as previously described, repeat if needed, if on the 2nd try, it doesn't solve the problem, replace it. wipe off potentiometer and put back where you got it :P

I could type MORE on it, but you get the idea.